


The Static Buzz Of Rain

by Potion_Against_Awkwardness



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, M/M, OOC Lance (in the beginning), Road Trip, a lot of rain and static themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 14:27:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12134433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Potion_Against_Awkwardness/pseuds/Potion_Against_Awkwardness





	The Static Buzz Of Rain

The soft rumble of the motor and the sound of rain dripping onto the windows was almost enough to make both boys fall asleep. The only light that reached them were the lamps which illuminated the highway, occasionally the headlights of a passing car. If they stopped somewhere, both boys could surely find a way to fall asleep.

But it wasn't that they didn't want to, they just couldn't.

Keith kept his eyes on the road and forced himself not to doze off. Lance wouldn't have been able to sleep if he wanted to.

Keith continued driving forward, anxiously looking from the road, to Lance, to the city's lights, and back to the road. They had to get away. As far as their car could take them, as long as time allowed them to. As long as they could just get away.

From what? They weren't quite sure yet. All they knew was that staying was a bad idea.

He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. He wouldn't stop up until the lights were gone, until they were safe.

The radio let out a buzz of static which was occasionally interrupted by a channel. Neither of them reached to change it. It seemed to blend with the pitter patter of raindrops hitting their car, which was comforting, in an odd way. It filled the silence.

Silence.

Something rare with Lance in the same room. While it was usually welcomed, in this case it made Keith uneasy.

He turned up the radio.

  
-

  
Lance had passed out a little before sunrise, and Keith gave in soon after having found a gas station to park in.

It was a little after noon when they woke up.

If it weren't for the fact that he was starving, Keith would've never agreed to eating 'breakfast' in a McDonalds. He ended up only having some fries and a milkshake, while Lance bought himself a cake and stated that enough to get him through to dinner.

Keith didn't believe him at all, but stopped arguing after a while.

At least Lance talked again, if you counted the one word answers and small grunts as talking.

They walked back to the gas station to buy a few supplies for their spontaneous trip.

Keith felt something brush against his hand. He looked down and saw Lance trying to pry his hand open. It took him a few seconds, but he grabbed the other's hand as soon as he understood. He gave it a good squeeze when Lance's thumb brushed over his knuckles gently, and they intertwined their fingers. The taller man let out a shuddering breath and relaxed. Keith made sure not to let go.

Not when they got weird looks from the few people in the gas station, not when they picked out their food, not when they left with two full bags.

Keith would not let go until he absolutely had to, and by the tight grip from Lance, he thought the same.

They hesitantly parted when they entered the car.

The radio played static.

  
-

  
"Hey."  
"..."  
"Do you know why dragons can't fly during the rain?"  
"Hm?"  
"It's not because they're too weak. Some people say it's because the rain brings memories of old times, and they like to take their time to remember. Other's say it's because the rain represents their sadness, and they can't fly safely if sadness clouds their mind."  
".."  
"Y'know, maybe we're dragons, and that's why we can't fly right now."  
"....Maybe"

  
-

 

Lance had been making progress.

While his answers were still short and simple, he began to express himself more with each day. Today, the second Sunday since they left the city, and the least cloudy day they've encountered, Lance did something new.

He hummed a melody, tapping the park bench they were sitting on to the beat.

"What song is that?"

Lance smiled and reached up to play with Keith's hair. He combed his fingers through it, untangling knots gently, curling it around his fingers, braiding it. The song humming continued and Keith let his eyes fall shut, silently enjoying the light tugs.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the humming left unincluded, Lance spoke his first sentence since they left.

"Where are you taking me?"

Keith opened his eyes and turned his head to look at the tan boy.

"Away."

Lance blinked, "To?"

A few moments passed with Keith contemplating the answer, and Lance combing through Keith's hair.

He answered, "I don't know yet. Wherever you want to go. We have a car, and money. I'm sure I can find a way for us both to live nicely. We don't have to turn back." He grabbed Lance's hands and looked him in the eyes, "I'll take you anywhere. We'll be fine as long as we're together."

Lance's eyes shone with a soft glow of happiness, and Keith was ready to melt.

They stayed in that position for a few moments until Lance wriggled his hands out of the raven's hold. He patted his lap and opened his arms, inviting Keith to lay down.

And he did exactly that.

He let his eyes shut and drifted away with the feeling of Lance's soft touch.

The static buzz turned into a soft humming

  
-

  
The rain seemed to be chasing them.

Everywhere they drove to, rain was either drizzling down lightly, or pouring over them harshly. Either way, they were soaking by the end of the day.

Usually it was Lance who ended up looking like he just dived into the ocean, since he always insisted they rested somewhere, and then ended up spinning around in the rain. Keith didn't approve, continuously complaining about getting hypothermia, but he let Lance have his fun. If it meant he could see that smile light up his face, he'd let dance in the rain for as long as he'd like. Because Lance's smile lit up Keith's world. And _Lance was_ Keith's world.

"Dance with me!" The blue eyed boy said while reaching out a wet hand.

Heck, not only the hand was wet, all of him was dripping with water. His clothes weren't just stained, they were drenched, looking heavier and darker than they had before. His hair was pressed flat on his head, raindrops pouring down with the new ones that hit his skin. His face was flushed, his breaths came out in quick, deep takes, his shirt stuck to his skin and he shivered slightly every now and then. But he looked absolutely beautiful and so much more _alive_ than when this whole mess started.

Keith couldn't look away.

"Lance, I- You'll- We'll get sick. We should go back to the car, find a hotel, warm up"

The brunette's eyes flashed and he stepped back with a grin. "Just one dance, Keithy!" He bowed and waited for the paler man to make his decision.

It took a while, maybe a minute or two, but eventually Keith slipped his hand into Lance's while mumbling "But only one dance.." under his breath.

And so they began, embarrassedly fumbling with where to put their hands, and eventually settling with awkwardly placing them on each other's waists. And it may have looked awkward for any bypasser, but for them this was one of those moments where they were completely at peace. It was just them, the rain, and the soft splash of their feet on the wet pavement.

"We don't even have any music.." Keith complained quietly, not really minding the silence.

Lance moved his left hand to Keith's right and held them up, then he moved Keith's left hand to his shoulder. He placed his own hand back go Keith's waist. And then he started humming. The same tune as always. And Keith found himself humming along as they spun around. Their steps quickened, getting more loose as they stopped caring about matching the beat. Lance's eyes sparkled, heck, they seemed to be glowing. Glowing in all those familiar shades of blue that made Lance's eyes look so alive and warm and happy. And Keith, he felt like he was _flying_. It seemed as if his feet didn't even touch the ground anymore, and if they did, the lightness in his heart was enough to make up for it.

And then they fell.

It must've been Lance's smile, or Keith's laugh, or maybe both, but they got distracted, tripped over their feet and tumbled down as ungracefully as anyone couldn't even imagine.

A quick and unavoidable fall. They let out a scream, crashed into each other and fell into a puddle. They stared at each other for a while, ignoring how their shoes were completely filled with water and now also dirt.

And then Lance sneezed.

"I told you so" Keith laughed as he stood up. He reached out a hand and pulled Lance up. Hand in hand, they staggered to their parked car, their legs suddenly feeling like jelly. Of course they knew they looked absolutely drunk with how they swayed back and forth, and how they giggled simply by looking at each other. If they didn't know any better, they would've assumed so as well.

Rain proceeded to hit the car harshly once they entered, sounding like a mixture of static and soft knocking. The radio was turned down.

They made it to the hotel safely.

  
-

  
The second they entered their room, Lance had already begun stripping himself of most of his clothes. "I'm taking a shower first" he looked back and waited for a nod of approval before entering the bathroom.

After his friends, the only thing he missed about that place were the frequent baths he could take. Of course, that was nothing compared to the ocean, but it was better than squeezing yourself into a shower, or that uncomfortable feeling of your clothes sticking on you and weighing you down in the rain. Not that he minded, he loved spinning around aimlessly as raindrops splashed on his face just the way his siblings had splashed him with waterguns and hoses back when they were younger. Back then everything was still fine, and he hadn't hurt anyone and they hadn't hurt him. Back then he wouldn't have even thought of running away with this guy called Keith. Back then he was happy.

He inhaled deeply and frowned. Was he happy right now? It took him a second, and he decided, no, he wasn't. He paused for a second, rethought and concluded that maybe certain moments made him happy. Moments like holding Keith's hand, or combing through Keith's hair, or dancing with Keith in the rain. Moments with Keith made him happy.

After a short while he turned off the water, changed into his boxers and left the bathroom.

"Mullet, it's your-" he stopped when he saw the smaller man passed out on the bed.

A fond smile spread over his features and he crept closer, feeling his heart jump and his stomach squeeze together at the sight. He looked like he barely managed to change into that old, still-way-too-large shirt he had since forever. The first time he'd seen it was in their junior year of highschool, but back then it'd already looked worn out. He remembered how it had hung down Keith's underfed body, and how Hunk insisted to cook for him everyday from then on. He missed Hunk.

Keith rolled to the side with a silent murmur sounding like "No, that's my hippo". Lance shook his head and laid down next to the other, admiring the slight frown he had even while asleep. "You're cute" he whispered, and shut off the lights.

He laid there for a while, watching as his eyes adjusted to the darkness and everything became clearer. As always, it was a dark and cold night, the clouds barely let the moon shine through at all. At least the rain had lessened significantly since he entered the shower. A silent 'tap tap tap' was still there, but less noticeable than before. The sound reminded him of their first night away. Drifting away was easier this time.

  
-

  
On some days waking up felt like being torn away from a place of safeness and warmth, it felt like being plunged into cold and unknown waters with no land in sight and no boat to return to. On other days, waking up would feel like a part of some sort of monotonous routine, as if you were forced to do this for now and forever and until the day you die.

On days like this, waking up felt like simply opening your eyes and being safe.

Wrapped in a thin and cheap blanket next to the person he's learned to trust his life with, he felt safe. Lightly holding onto this person's hand, who gently held on as well, he felt safe.

Apparently it had stopped raining in the night, but he could already hear the light pitter patter of a drizzle on the window. He couldn't help but move forward embrace him completely. A knot tied itself together in his stomach at the small groan Keith made at the action. That probably woke him up.

"Nn.. Lance..?" the black mess of a bedhead shifted to let those violet eyes look groggily up at him.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty" he replied, smiling down softly.

It took a few seconds of slow blinking for him to get a response. "Mornin'"

"How was dream land?"

"...Good..?" Whenever Keith got some actual sleep, he'd be completely dazed in the morning, almost as if he were still stuck in his land of slumber somewhere in his body or mind. It was incredibly cute, but in some cases, like when he accidentally forgot who Shiro was, extremely worrying.

"Wanna know what I dreamt of?" Lance grinned.

"No." The grin widened.

"Well, if you're that eager," a groan interrupted him, but he thought nothing of it "I dreamt of me," an eye roll, "and I dreamt of you," the raven stopped, blushed and then frowned. Lance tried to meet Keith's eyes, but it seemed that this was a bit too much.

"Keith, look at me, please.." he sighed, but when Keith actually met his eyes, he didn't seem down at all. A loose smile was on his face, and his eyes glinted playfully with a tint of seriousness. It reminded him of when they were still _there_ , and Lance would challenge him to some stupid made up competition like fitting as many ice cubes in your glass, or wearing more hats than the other. He missed those days.

"I dreamt of us." Those words again. He felt a blush creep up his neck and frowned.

"And I dreamt that we went home."

Silence.

"I wanna go home too.." Keith admitted, his gaze cast downwards.

"I'll drive us back this time."

The weather seemed to worsen once more, and the white noise filled the room.

"Lance." Keith inched closer, pressing his body against the taller one's. His cheeks reddened once again and he inwardly cursed himself.

"Hmm..?" The arms around him tightened, almost as if secretly promising to never let him go. His blush darkened.

"Since we're on our way home and whatever," he coughed awkwardly, "I wanna tell you this one little thing before it's too late and uh.. Yeah.. So I.. Well... I think, actually, no. I like you."

The seconds of silence that passed felt like hours upon hours of waiting. Every soft tick of the clock on the wall felt like a step closer to death. He shouldn't have said that, really. Maybe he could blame his half-asleep brain. Hopefully.

"Keith, I- I aually," a pause in which Keith's heart felt like it stopped, "I also think we make a really good team."

That answer got the brunette a hard smack on the head with the complaints like 'DON'T PAUSE LIKE THAT YOU MORON' and 'WHO EVEN SAYS THAT AND MEANS 'I LIKE YOU TOO'?'

Not like it mattered. Because that answer, as stupid as it may have been, mean that this time it would really only be them and the static buzz of rain.


End file.
